define sweetspot.
When using a surf board for wave riding I rather be under powered on my 9m than exactly powered on a 11m. so... is the sweetspot defined only by the kites power delivery or also by other characteristics such as speed and agility ?

Yes the sweet spot will change with the board for sure.

It's the range that you are powered, without de powering the kite I'd say.

Wrong! If your not using your depower then you do not know how to use your kite. It's a trim strap it is there for you to get the most out of your kite. Learn to use it and use it well.

The sweet spot is personal and it is how safe and comfortable you feel while riding. For me it's when I don't have to fight for enough speed and power to throw a trick, or stuck just boosting because it's too windy to go for a handle pass.

You guys didn't get me. What I meant was that although with an 11m I can be powered exactly as I want to be, i will still prefer being way underpowered on a 9m in the surf because it is faster in turning and faster from side to side. So for a sweetspot isn't just the power generated from the kite but a hole set of characteristics.

Well, that's all good & well but if you buy yourself 2 kites instead of one you'd better off

Very true, it is the full setup and constellation, and the reason why hardly any wave kitesurfers use bigger kites than 9m2

Peter

This is an old topic "re-awakened"...

The two first pages was from 2008, and then the last two pages are from almost 2013

A one kite quiver is easy - and no problem at all

If many boards, it is even easier, as you can ride from 10 to maybe 25-30 knots then (but on the far outer limits).

And if you live at a place with consistent thermal winds, or similar, you can also get away with one kitesize, even at its sweetspot maybe

For the rest of us, having "all kinds of winds" from 0 to +40 knots, we CAN choose one size only, that would fit our board(s) and what we like to do the most.

For me it would definitely be a 9 or 10m2 kite (78kg), as I feel it could be used in the most conditions, also lighter winds, and still be okay for waves (but only just okay, as it is a big kite in waves).

So a 1 kite quiver is simply a choice one can make, and in some regions it actually makes more sense than at other spots

Peter

I am the culprit for restarting this thread...lol. I have an Edge 15, SB 2013 12 and 9 and an SB 7 2012 for nukin days or stronger winter days on ice. But for about 6 weeks, I had only the 12m and realised that I had fun from 10 to 23 knots. At 92kg, I was topped at 25knots. I travel for other reasons than kiting but I would like to carry a small kit just in case. I think a 10 or 11 with a 42 wide board could get me going in just below 15 (13ish) up to a bit higher than 25 (27-28). Which I think are cool conditions to hit the water. On a family trip, I will not regret missing a 10 knot day, but a 15-20 is a bit sad. The 13-15 and 20-27 are safety margins, kind of just in case. My 9 gets me out in 15 but with a big board .... The more I read what I wrote, the more I feel that the 12m would still be plenty of safe in 25 ish if I learn to fly it better.

yes the sweet spot changes depending what type of riding your doing. But the sweet spot will still be about 5 knots give or take any one riding style.

eg the sweet spot for boosting on my 10m c4 is 23-28 knots. for wave riding its 19-24 knots

if i want to do a wave dedicated session 25+ knots i wouldn't put up the 10m and trim i'd put up the 8m....

For me a 1 kite quiver is out of the question. i want to ride all winds and i want to do it with varying styles that require different things from the kite. Thats why i have a split quiver as well. in low winds i want high aspect kites for great upwind and glidy jumps. i slowly morph into lower aspect kites until i'm at the wave specific reo which is my smallest kite

Sorry bro but your sweet spot and the sweet spot on my 11M kite are night and day difference. I have a massive wind range. Riding 13 kt winds is definitely not boring because I am boosting and doing all the tricks I like to do. You have a small sweet spot because you are riding a kite that has a very specific wind range not to mention a very small one regarding its sweet spot. Making a global statement that all kites have a 5 kt range sweet spot is simply incorrect.